Colombian rebels set to release four hostages

DPA Caracas, Feb 27 (DPA) Two helicopters identified with Red Cross symbols left Venezuela Wednesday and were heading for Colombia, to pick up four hostages set to be released by the Colombian guerrilla group. Venezuelan television reported that the helicopters took off from Santo Domingo, in the Venezuelan state of Tachira - bordering Colombia. Venezuelan Interior Minister Ramon Rodriguez Chacin and Colombian Senator Piedad Cordoba were part of the delegation, the TV channel Globovision said.

Chacin has said he holds the coordinates of the place where former legislators Jorge Gechem, Gloria Polanco, Luis Eladio Perez and Orlando Beltran were set to be released.

The leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) vowed to release these hostages with no preconditions, and there is great worry in Colombia as to their health condition.

In January, FARC released former vice presidential candidate Clara Rojas and former legislator Consuelo Gonzalez, in a similar operation to the one launched Wednesday, also sponsored by Venezuela. DPA